A Better Plan Renovations

A Better Plan is a design/build company offering you full service for your renovation project. They plan your renovation, looking after all the details from drawings, budget planning and scheduling to helping you select materials, colors and textures. Robert then takes a "hands-on" approach and is on site daily along with his crew of read more...

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23 Customer Reviews

Rating of 4.7 / 5 from 23 Reviews

A Better Plan Renovations began operations in 1984 and has received 23 reviews for an overall customer rating of 4.7. The average rating for businesses providing similar services in the Winnipeg area is 3.5. Write a review

Sandra from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 30, 2016

Kitchen Renovation

Our kitchen reno was a complete gut-and-rebuild job in an old house that needed everything. Of course, that means encountering the unexpected--so it took longer than I hoped, but the delays were reasonable given the kinds of issues that were encountered. I appreciated that the people working on our house were always polite and accommodating. The few things that we pointed out were changed immediately. Everything that we flagged was fixed to our satisfaction. it was expensive--but considering that we had radiators moved, windows in and out, walls, insulation, gas, plumbing, and everything else, and that we have pretty expensive tastes, it's hard to find fault with the pricing.

Kevin from Winnipeg

Posted: May 10, 2015

Basement Build Out (Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Rec Room, Gym, Bar)

Our experience with A Better Plan Renovations was extremely positive. From the initial assessment through to the finished product, Robert and Janice were very professional and up front with all aspects of the job. The job was well planned out which is key to the success of the project. All subcontractors used for the job were efficient and trustworthy. Robert and Janice worked with us throughout the project to make sure we were happy and this led to a finished product that we are extremely happy with. We have already recommended A Better Plan to our friends.

Carolyne from Stonewall

Posted: Dec 01, 2014

Complete Basement Project

A Better Plan provided excellent service for my basement project. Working with Janice to develop a floor plan for my completely unfinished basement could not have gone better. She developed an excellent first draft that we then discussed back and forth until we came to a perfect final product.

When it came to implementing the plan the work was done quickly and efficiently. Any questions and concerns I had were addressed promptly. Robert oversaw all the sub contractors and made the project as stress free as possible for my husband and I.

We love our basement and are probably going to spend most of the winter down there!

Michelle from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 21, 2014

Basement Reno

A Better Plan was not the cheapest quote we had, but it was the most comprehensive. Robert took the time to really consider what we wanted, tell us the pros and cons of our choice, and gave us realistic quotes and timelines. They were clean, and the people on his crews were polite. A Better Plan did what they promised (a then some).

Marie from Winnipeg

Posted: Jan 04, 2014

Basement Development/Renovation

We hired Robert and Janice from A Better Plan in the summer 2013 to renovate and develop our basement. We have been impressed with them, right from the very first meeting. They are professional and knowledgeable and organized and informative; necessary qualities that any renovator should have. But they are also, courteous and kind and caring and supportive and fair and just really nice people. These are the additional qualities you get by dealing with Janice and Robert, and these are the qualities that really make the difference. Our renovation was easy to live through, because they did what they said they would do. They started when they said they would start. They finished when they said they should finish. They worked every day. They supervised every trade, every single day. They emailed/called and returned all voice messages and emails promptly. They cleaned up the work area every day. They protected our home and they looked after it as if it was their home. They had great suggestions throughout the process to make the end product even better. It has been a real pleasure to work with them and we would definitely recommend them to others. We would absolutely use them again, without hesitation for any project in our home. We are completely happy with our basement renovation and are grateful that we hired A Better Plan!

Chauncey from Winnipeg

Posted: Dec 11, 2013

Kitchen Renovation

We hired Janice & Robert of A Better Plan Renovations to update our small 1960's kitchen, after reading their numerous positive reviews on this site and could not be happier with our new kitchen (just in time for Christmas and with a newborn baby arriving early!)

Both Janice and Robert were great to work with, and it already seems kind of strange not see them/talk to them every couple of days! They listened to what we wanted, kept us on budget, and helped us every step of the way. Janice helped us choose the cabinets, counters, flooring, hardware and even paint.

The project was even completed a week early, despite a few setbacks beyond our control along the way. Robert was able to effectively troubleshoot and get the job done, always being mindful of cost. We were always able to get a hold of either Robert or Janice via phone or email whenever needed and always got a fast response.

We would recommend A Better Plan in a heartbeat to anyone looking to do kitchen renovations, and hope to hire them in the future for basement and bathroom renovations.

Barb from Winnipeg

Extensive Remodel of Our Lower Level

Robert and Janice were wonderful to work with. Right from the first meeting where they had a good sense of what I wanted done and some great ideas of what should be done. They were very respectful of the budget and kept me focused in the face of a million options!

The project started and ended on time and on budget. What more can you ask for! I enjoyed working with them and can't wait to start the next project.

Carrie from Winnipeg

Posted: Mar 21, 2013

Kitchen Renovation

We hired Bob and Janice to renovate our small River Heights kitchen last March. Prior to renovations our kitchen had no redeeming features. It had a pantry that was an eyesore and a waste of space, the counters were narrow and the originals from 1951. Janice worked out a plan that removed the pantry increasing my counter space and the functionality of the kitchen. I love cooking in there and now I let people join me in there, where before I would shoo them out with a broom.

Janice went with me to pick out the cupboards, flooring, fixtures, etc. that our budget would allow and she was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. The job was completed in a timely fashion and every day after their crew left the working area was left spotless. My husband and I enjoyed working with them, they were a lot of fun as well as great at their job. We would work with them again and certainly refer them to friends.

Craig from Winnipeg

Posted: Dec 19, 2012

Kitchen Renovation

Janice came up with an excellent design plan. She managed to capture all aspects we were looking for in our kitchen (including a few things we didn't realize we even wanted before her design). Bob also had some very good idea that we incorporated into the final design. We are very pleased with the end product and plan on using A Better Plan for future renovations.

Chris & Edward from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 16, 2012

Family Room Renovation

After 26 years of living in a family room dominated by 4 stand alone golden oak cabinets, an old TV & far too much nik-nak clutter, my dream renovation came true thanks to 'A Better Plan'! Janice understood my ideas & waded through my many photos to come up with a perfect design plan, while Bob was the man who made it happen. Out went those cabinets & the newly bare wall was then transformed into a limestone brick fireplace with electric insert, a toffee colored maple mantle which curved around custom matching cabinetry located on either side of the fireplace. Ceiling pot lights and new electrical outlets were added. Robert wall mounted our new flat screen TV. The room was painted and a new carpet installed. Everything went perfectly and turned out beyond what my husband & I had envisioned! Janice & Robert are a great team as well as lovely people. They are knowledgeable in all areas of renovations and professional in their work. They take the time to listen to you, discuss and explain choices and options every step of the way, and are very observant of the budget. If work ethic, feeling comfortable with people in your home, and knowing that you are having a superior renovation done, are all important to you, then 'A Better Plan' is the only way to go.

As an aside, Janice & Robert share a terrific sense of humor and even managed to win over my overly protective poodle who now views them as her friend!

Maggie from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 16, 2012

Basement Renovation

We engaged A Better Plan on the recommendation of a friend who had Robert & Janice finish their basement. We were told they were professional and delivered what was promised on time and on budget. The recommendation was very accurate and we found Robert & Janice to be all of those things.

Our basement was largely unfinished and we wanted to turn it onto a comfortable and liveable space with an office, bedroom, bathroom and family room. In addition, we wanted to finish the laundry room and storage area. We had some ideas as to the final look of the basement and Janice was able to make all of those ideas come to life and more. Janice provided detailed plans which worked perfectly and she was available to incorporate our ideas into the plan.

Robert handled the construction and with his team he transformed the basement into a great space. Robert and his team are talented and respectful. Robert kept us informed of all elements of the construction and when issues arose we discussed the options and arrived at the best solution. If there was going to be a cost increase as a result, Robert & Janice were very forthright in letting us know what the cost was and why. Overall with respect to the cost of the project, they provided a very detailed budget and were very good about staying within it.

I would have no hesitation in hiring A Better Plan again or recommending them to others as Robert & Janice are very talented, dedicated and honest contractors.

Stacey from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 14, 2012

Bathroom Renovations

Think twice about letting these people come into your home. We hired them for 2 bathroom renovations. Even though progress payments were outlined in the contract - this company demanded payment in full before completing the work. They walked out on the job leaving the 2nd bathroom gutted as you see in these pictures. Please be wary of this company!!

Response from A Better Plan Renovations

Although the payment schedule was clearly outlined in the contract, the client never mentioned a desire to change it until the middle of the job.

We had requested payment for extras incurred on the client's behalf, which were already completed.

We were happy to complete the work on the 2nd bathroom once the monies were paid.

The client sent an email saying they would complete the 2nd bathroom on their own, and to consider ourselves paid in full for services rendered.

Mike from Winnipeg

Posted: Jul 28, 2012

Basement Renovation

A Better Plan did a great job finishing the basement in our 90 year old home. They ran into some difficulties that they couldn't have predicted (the hazard of working on an old home), but handled them very well and provided us with good advice about our options. Janice had some great suggestions about how to do the layout, and Robert was extremely professional at all times and kept us informed about what was going on when the schedule shifted. I know that the unexpected delays with our job caused them headaches with other work, but they stuck with it and didn't leave us to chase lower hanging fruit. I'd recommend them to any friends or family who were looking to get this sort of job done.

Jenny from Winnipeg

Posted: Feb 28, 2012

Home Renovations

The contractors and administration at A Better Plan Renovations are honest, hardworking, and efficient. Most importantly, they are sensitive to how much home renovations can disrupt the inhabitants who continue to live in the house after the work for the day is done. They regularly swept up at the end of the day so that we would not have to live in a giant dusty mess. They kept us apprised at every stage about the things that were going well and also the unpredictable challenges that arose. Our 100-year old home certainly threw them a lot of curve-balls, but they handled it all with professionalism. They have vast knowledge and obvious experience. Most importantly, I was happy to have all of the employees from A Better Plan Renovations in my home. We look forward to working with them again in the future.

Dave from Winnipeg

Posted: Sep 16, 2011

Basement Renovation

When deciding we wanted to reclaim space in our basement this summer that had only been used for storage, we looked at various contractors and chose A Better Plan based on the great reviews we read. Even so, we hoped that we would have the same positive experience that other reviewers had. As it turns out, it was the best choice we could have made.

When we met Rob and Janice and told them our budget and that we were thinking about an extra bedroom, bathroom, home theatre and family area, they immediately sized up the situation, mentioned a lot of things to consider that we hadn't thought about and explained how they would manage the project: they would provide budget management, plans to choose from, a single point of contact, no surprises, quality work, and timely completion. They made a point of telling us they do one project at a time and we have their complete attention until the project is finished to our satisfaction. They also made it clear that if at any time we wanted to discuss changes or had any questions they would be more than happy to sit down with us. In every case, they were true to their word. The plans by Janice were detailed and professional and included one or two "signature" features that would make ours a unique space. Each option was also backed up by an easy to understand budget estimate. She was also the best resource we could have had in helping us pick out paint colours, carpeting and fixtures, all while keeping our budget firmly in mind. (How good is it when you don t have to remind the contractor of your budget!).The process was smooth and each phase well planned.

Rob made sure the plans came to life and was always on the lookout for issues that needed to be addressed and pointed out some things about our house that we didn't know even after living in it for fifteen years. He always arrived on time and was great in accommodating special requests such as framing a stained glass piece that we wanted to incorporate into the design and installing an electric fireplace. Rob also really took the time to make sure this wasn t just a cosmetic change and that everything you couldn t see was done as thoroughly and with the same attention to detail as everything you could see.

As has been pointed out in other reviews, Rob and Janice are very personable and down to earth and make you feel the project is in good hands from start to finish. While the work was being done (about six weeks), it was not at all like having strangers in our home and they were always respectful of our time and space.

The result is a completely new and very comfortable entertainment space and a great extra bathroom and bedroom. It s everything we hoped it would be and has drawn a ton of compliments. As a bonus, it was a fun experience. Since the work has been completed, Rob has also followed up to make sure we have no outstanding questions or issues, which we appreciate.

Lydia from Winnipeg

Posted: Jun 16, 2011

Office Renovation

I thought I had a very good plan for my office, and then along came A Better Plan Renovations. I valued the professional conduct and respect I received, something I didn't get to the same caliber from other companies in the past. Every step of the way details were looked after before I even thought about them. Also, I was very impressed with the ideas they came up with regarding planning my home office. I had over the years jotted down how I would like things in my office placed and also had some pictures from magazines but nothing compared to their plans. They also knew that I would have more storage with their plan than I thought, even by removing a tiny closet I used for supplies and purchase order files. The details they went into were beyond my knowledge or imagination. Also, their eye for colour is amazing. I wanted the office colours to compliment my beautiful picture. Their selection for colour of wall, floor, desk drawers, desk top and handles were impecable. Again, much better than what I had chosen. Not only does my office look beautiful and professional but my picture is finally being displayed properly. No wonder the company is called "A Better Plan..." They certainly deliver! I am already spreading the word to hire this company. I have dealt with three other companies in the past for home renovations. I will, in future, only deal with A Better Plan Renovations. It is a pleasure and with great pride that I can now have customers come into my office and know that my company presents a professional front--especially since I work from home!

Hogan from Winnipeg

Posted: Mar 20, 2011

Basement Renovation

We just had our basement completely renovated by Bob & Janice. My wife and I cannot say enough positive things about them. They are punctual, friendly, creative and cost conscious. I think what makes them different is that they do the work themselves and almost treat it like their own home. Our basement was originally finished about 25 years ago and was in desperate need of an update. Janice came up with a great design that optimized our space and stayed within our budget. Bob and his team (1 and sometimes 2 workers) came in and did the destruction and then rebuilt the basement based on Janice's design. It looks amazing and we have had so many complements. I would absolutely recommend them for any home renovation project you have. In fact, they will be top on our list when it comes to a kitchen redesign we are planning in a few years.

Barb & Sylvain from Winnipeg

Posted: Dec 12, 2010

Basement Renovation

We had A Better Plan complete our unfinished basement and convert it into the Man Cave of my husband s dreams. The only complaint I have is that I now see very little of my husband; however, he is extremely happy in his cave! Bob and Janice are the perfect team to make sure your renovations are done exactly the way you want them, actually, even better! They work with you to make sure your ideas make sense and are the best plan for your space. We continually made changes and they were extremely patient and flexible and took all of our changes in stride. They are very honest and upfront and always advised us when there could or would be an additional cost to our add-ons and made sure it was alright before they went ahead with them. You won t have any surprises. They are amazing to work with and you would be lucky to get them to complete any of your renovation work. You ll be trying to find extra work for them to do to just keep them in your home. (we did) In addition, the employee they have working with them; that my husband has nicknamed skully ; is just as much of a perfectionist as Bob and Janice are and equally as kind and personable. They will become part of your family and on top of that, you ll have a project completed perfectly!

Nicole from Winnipeg

Posted: Nov 29, 2009

Basement Renovations

We have recently had the pleasure of having A Better Plan Renovations complete our basement. Robert and Janice are very friendly and courteous. They designed an excellent floor plan for us to maximize our basement space. Our basement now has a very warm and comfortable feel to it and the inspired use of pot lights and a half-wall make it feel very spacious. They also worked with Kitchen Craft to design a bar and entertainment unit that looks rich yet was totally within our budget. We highly recommend them for your next home renovation project.

Dayo from Winnipeg

Posted: Jun 09, 2009

Kitchen Renovation

I highly recommend 'A better plan' for anyone looking for a professional, diligent and customer-first contractor for home renovation projects. Bob and Janice are a force when it comes to home renovations. They go above and beyond to ensure that their customers' wants and needs are met with thorough budgeting and HONEST estimates.

They recently renovated my kitchen - I am very impressed and proud of the outcome. My friends love my kitchen and couldn't believe how much it cost - they are very honest when it comes to how much things cost. Thanks to Bob and Janice for their hard work, dedication and the pride they take in their work. They are both perfectionists and would not leave until they are certain that you are satisfied as a customer. Above all, they are nice people that are always ready to help and give advice outside of their contracted job - you'll be glad you chose them and you'll get more than your money's worth.

ADVICE - Always talk to Janice first - she will make Bob work extra hours to make sure that you are happy (don't tell Bob i say that!) GREAT COUPLE!!!

David from Winnipeg

Posted: Apr 15, 2009

Bathroom Renovation

Bob and Janice were helpful with the planning, purchasing and installation of our new bathroom. From shopping with us to providing tile samples, they are involved with every process from start to finish. We are very please with their friendliness and professionalism. They were affordable and reliable and worked long hours in order to complete the job in a timely manor.

TrustScore™

A Better Plan Renovations has a TrustScore™ of 4.3.
The average TrustScore™ for other businesses providing similar services in Winnipeg and the surrounding areas is 3.4. For detailed information on how TrustScore is calculated, click here.

TrustedPros does not validate certain information provided by contractors and vendors in conjunction with the creation or maintenance of their profile. TrustScores are provided for informational purposes only. We urge you to use the TrustScore™ in conjunction with the tips provided in our Hiring Guide to maximize the probability of hiring the best professional for you project.

Main Services Offered

Design and layout has a direct impact on how effective your new kitchen will be once it's finished. Planning is an important step that should never be rushed. There is no room for mistakes. You cannot afford to do it twice! We work with you to create the kitchen you want and need within your budget.

Design and layout has a direct impact on how effective your new basement will be once it's finished. Planning is an important step that should never be rushed. There is no room for mistakes. You cannot afford to do it twice! We work with you to create the basement you want within your budget.

We work with you to create the bathroom you want within your budget. We provide expert advice on materials and finishing for a stylish but "not soon to be outdated" bathroom. Although small, it is the second most expensive room in the house and you cannot afford to do it twice!

Other Services Offered

Overview Continued

A Better Plan is a design/build company offering you full service for your renovation project. They plan your renovation, looking after all the details from drawings, budget planning and scheduling to helping you select materials, colors and textures. Robert then takes a "hands-on" approach and is on site daily along with his crew of professionals. He provides years of experience, advice and solutions and makes sure your job is done right.

Their many positive reviews tell their story!

WINNER of Best of Trusted Pros 2013 for kitchen renovations!

WINNER of Best of Trusted Pros 2014 for basement renovations!

Best of TrustedPros Awards

A Better Plan Renovations was awarded Best of TrustedPros in 2014 for Basement Renovations in Winnipeg.

A Better Plan Renovations was awarded Best of TrustedPros in 2013 for Kitchen Renovations in Winnipeg.